Beer Marketer's Insights - ALC-ALTERNATIVES: Noot Lands in Total Wine, BevMo in Calif; From Entrepreneurs Behind Swedish Rekorderlig Hard Cider Brand with James Corden an Investor

Group of UK entrepreneurs have landed new brand called Noot - as in "nootropics" - in Total Wine and BevMo stores in Calif as approachably priced alc-alternative with somewhat unusual ingredient bill that includes green oat for its clarifying benefit. The brand, which counts actor/comedian James Corden among its backers/endorsers, has been launching in canned RTDs and bottled non-alc spirits, with incubation help from LA Libations and its HiTouch Libations distribution arm in Southern Calif. US chief commercial officer Charlie Edwards, who'd earlier played a sales role in launch of Partake NA beer, promised that DSD will be big part of buildout plan even tho Total Wine and BevMo are direct customers as brand gets started. "There's a new buzz in town," marketing slogan declares. The founders are CEO Gareth Whittle, Christian Barton and Kieron Barton, who teamed up a few years back to launch Rekorderlig Swedish Hard Cider, which they claim to have reached $650 mil in annual sales across 10 countries. Austin-based Edwards was a colleague there, too.Brand's marketing kickoff occurred in early Jul at Santa Monica Pier, tho effort was undermined by production hitch that prevented simultaneous retail launch. (The spirits entries initially are being produced in Australia, tho co will migrate to domestic copacker soon, and the RTDs are produced right in Calif.) But brand soon moved into 148 Total Wine stores in Calif, with BevMo's 50 stores in state next. Both are direct customers. Gopuff also is queued up to take brand.That said, Edwards styled himself "a firm believer in the three-tier system" and said that will be next phase once brand premise proves out in inaugural retail accts. HiTouch Libations is seeking to seed brand in natural grocery accts like Bristol Farms, Gelsons and Sprouts. Charlie said painstaking development process made it a priority to avoid ingredients that might be a no-no in the Sprouts and Erewhons of the world. As for the brand name, it's short and memorable, Charlie explained, even if nootropic bevs aren't yet at a stage of development where every consumer would get the reference. In time, they might, tho.Tho brand also is launching in markets like Australia, in US it's going out with 5 spirits expressions in 700-ml bottles as well as 5 RTDs in 12-oz sleek cans. Spirits range includes Aperitivo Italiano, Green Apple Whiskey, FireFlyer Spiced Whiskey (which riffs on Fireball), Limoncello and Watermelon Agave at $32.99 SRP. The single-serve cans are out in Negroni Spritz, Classic G&T, Ginger Mule, Grapefruit Paloma and Watermelon Marg. They go out at SRP of $14.99 per 4-pk, on par with rivals like Hiyo but below the more elevated pricing that brands like De Soi and Kin are trying to command - at some risk to category's development, Edwards fears.Like many brands in alc-alternative category, concept was birthed post-Covid, when founders did a reset after lapsing into too much drinking during shutdown period. Still, "everyone in the company comes from booze and we're not here to bash alcohol," Charlie said. Rather they're doing their best to replicate some of appealing effects of drinking without the downsides. The recipes also work to support low-ABV mixtures for those who do want a taste of alcohol.In 2-yr development process, founding team worked with ethnobotanist on proprietary recipe dubbed Noot Buzz that includes green oat, lemon balm, green tea, passion flower and schisandra with emphasis on getting viscosity right and keeping sugar out (via use of natural-grocer-friendly erythritol as sweetener). The entries come in at 10 calories per serving.As for Corden, his role has been mainly subdued so far, including participating in pitch to Aussie retailer, but he boasts range of useful ties, even including a friendship with Walmart CEO, and is ready to up his game when the time is right, Charlie indicated.

ALC-ALTERNATIVES: Noot Lands in Total Wine, BevMo in Calif; From Entrepreneurs Behind Swedish Rekorderlig Hard Cider Brand with James Corden an Investor

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